Image arrangement for electronic album

ABSTRACT

An image ordering rule is selected from among multiple image ordering rules that use mutually different types of image characteristic values to determine the order of arrangement of images. The image characteristic value used by the selected image ordering rule is obtained for each of a plurality of images. The order of arrangement of a plurality of images is determined based on the selected image ordering rule and the image characteristic values for a plurality of images. The number of images to be placed on each page is determined based on the maximum number of images that can be included in each page of the electronic album. An electronic album in which a plurality of images are laid out on multiple pages in sequential order is created in accordance with the order of arrangement of a plurality of images and the number of images to be placed on each page.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/066,856,filed on Feb. 24, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporatedby reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technology for arranging a pluralityof images in an electronic album in a preferred sequential order.

2. Description of the Related Art

The widespread use of digital cameras and camera-equipped cellulartelephones in recent years has sparked rapid development in the field ofdigital photography. This has given rise to a trend toward the use of an‘electronic album’ comprising a photo album composed of digitalphotographs stored on a computer.

In a conventional electronic album, the order of photographs is fixedaccording to the order of photo-taking or the like. Furthermore, inorder to change the image order to a preferred order, the user mustmanually instruct the movement of images that extend across pages, whichmay be inconvenient. Moreover, a sufficiently innovative approach hasnot been taken with regard to the number of images allocated to eachpage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a technology whereby aplurality of images can be arranged easily in a preferred order. Anotherobject is to provide a technology whereby the number of images to beallocated to each page can be automatically and easily set.

In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method forcreating an electronic album including a plurality of images with theaid of a computer. The method comprises: (a) selecting an image orderingrule from among a plurality of image ordering rules used to determine anorder of arrangement of the plurality of images based on different typesof image characteristic values; (b) acquiring for each of the pluralityof images the image characteristic value used in the selected imageordering rule; (c) determining the order of arrangement of the pluralityof images in accordance with the selected image ordering rule and theimage characteristic values for the plurality of images; (d) determiningthe number of images to be placed on each page of the electronic album;and (e) creating, in accordance with the order of arrangement of theplurality of images and the number of images on each of the pages, anelectronic album in which the plurality of images are arranged in orderacross multiple pages.

Since an image ordering rule can be selected from among a plurality ofimage ordering rules, a desired arrangement can be selected. Moreover,since an image characteristic value used by the selected rule can beobtained for each image and a plurality of images arranged in accordancewith the image characteristic value for each image and the imageordering rule, a plurality of images can be easily arranged in thedesired order.

In another aspect of the present invention, the electronic albumcreating method comprises: (i) determining an order of arrangement ofthe plurality of images in accordance with a designated image orderingrule, the image ordering rule using an image characteristic valueacquired for each image; (ii) determining the number of images to beplaced on each page of the electronic album; and (iii) creating, inaccordance with the order of arrangement of the plurality of images andthe number of images on each of the pages, an electronic album in whichthe plurality of images are arranged in order across multiple pages. Thestep (i) includes classifying the plurality of images into multiplegroups in accordance with the image characteristic values for theplurality of images arranged in sequence, and the step (ii) includesdetermining the number of images to be placed on each page such thatimages from different groups are not allocated to the same page.

According to this method, images can be arranged on each page in anordered fashion and the number of images allocated to each page can beautomatically and easily set.

The present invention may be realized in various forms, such as throughan image order determining method and apparatus, an electronic albumcreating method and apparatus, an electronic album image processingmethod and apparatus, a computer program for implementing the functionsof these methods or apparatuses, or a recording medium on which suchcomputer program is recorded.

These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments with accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory drawing showing an image processing systemembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the sequence of operations carried out inthe embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a user interfacescreen used to specify album creation parameters;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the detailed sequence of operationscarried out in step S2;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory drawing showing the grouping of imagesaccording to hue;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the detailed sequence of operationscarried out in step S3;

FIGS. 7A-7E show the per-page number of images determined according tothe process shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of album images.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below accordingto the following sequence.

A. Device construction and processing in an embodiment B. Variations

A. Device Construction and Processing in an Embodiment:

FIG. 1 is an explanatory drawing showing an image processing systemembodying the present invention. This image processing system includes adigital camera 100, a computer 200 and a color printer 300. The computer200 includes an image processor 210 that executes processing to createan electronic album. This image processor 210 may alternatively beincorporated in the digital camera 100 or in the color printer 300.

The image processor 210 has a user interface module 212, an image groupselection module 214, an image characteristic value acquiring module216, an image order determining module 218, a page allocation module220, an album creating module 222 and an image data output module 224. Aplurality of images used as material for the electronic album are storedin an image storage unit 230. These images are normally photographicimages, but images obtained by a scanner or via computer graphics mayalso be used as material for album. As described below, the userinterface module 212 (FIG. 1) has a function to serve as a ruleselection module used when the user selects an image ordering rule. Thefunctions of the various constituent elements of the image processor 210are realized via a computer program.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the sequence of operations executed inthis embodiment. In step S1, the user specifies various parameterspertaining to the creation of an electronic album. This specification iscarried out using a user interface screen displayed on a display deviceby the user interface module 212.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of the userinterface screen by which album creation parameters are specified. Thisuser interface screen has a field F1 in which an album name is input,multiple buttons BT used to select an image ordering rule, and an imageselection area ISA used to select images to be included into album.

An image ordering rule is a rule that prescribes the order ofarrangement of images in album. In the example shown in FIG. 3, thethree selectable rules of ‘in order of color’, ‘in order of brightness’and ‘in order of photo-taking time’ are displayed. The ‘in order ofcolor’ option means that the images will be arranged in the order of therepresentative color of each image (such as average hue value). The ‘inorder of brightness’ option means that the images will be arranged inthe order of the representative brightness value of each image (such asaverage brightness value), while the ‘in order of photo-taking time’option means that the images will be arranged in the order of the timeat which the image was captured, which information is obtained from theimage file. Available image ordering rules may comprise any number ofrules.

The ‘representative color’, ‘representative brightness value’ and‘photo-taking time’ serve as image characteristic values used in therespective image ordering rules. As can be understood from the exampleshown in FIG. 3, the image ordering rules determine the order of imagesusing mutually different types of image characteristic values. As theseimage characteristic values, values obtained from analysis of imagepixel values, such as representative color or representative brightnessvalue, or values obtained from attribute information created at the timeof image capture of each image, such as the photo-taking time, may beused. However, it is preferred that the multiple image ordering rulesinclude at least one rule that uses a characteristic value obtained fromanalysis of image pixel values. The reason for this is that if an imageorder is determined using a characteristic value determined based on thecontent of the images, an image order desirable to the user is morelikely to result.

Once album creation parameters are specified, the order of a pluralityof images is determined in step S2 based on the selected image orderingrule, and image grouping is performed. When this occurs, the image groupselection module 214 (FIG. 1) first retrieves from the image storageunit 230 a plurality of images selected using the image selection areaISA. The image characteristic value acquiring module 216 then acquiresan image characteristic value for each image. The image orderdetermining module 218 determines the order of images and imagegroupings using the image characteristic values.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the detailed sequence of operationsexecuted in step S2. In step T10, the image characteristic valueacquiring module 216 and the image order determining module 218 obtainthe image ordering rule selected from the user interface screen, and instep T20, it is determined which of the three image ordering rules willbe used to execute processing. Where the image ordering rule is ‘inorder of color’, the steps T31-T34 are executed, where the imageordering rule is ‘in order of brightness’, the steps T41-T44 areexecuted, and where the image ordering rule is ‘in order of photo-takingtime’, the steps T51-T54 are executed.

In the first two steps T31 and T32 which are to be executed when the ‘inorder of color’ image ordering rule is used, the image characteristicvalue acquiring module 216 detects or calculates a representative colorof each selected image. The representative color may constitute averagecolor of the image, for example. The representative color can beexpressed using any color space, but in this embodiment, a color spacedefined by H (hue), S (saturation) and V (value or lightness) is used.

When representative color detection is completed for all images, theimage order determining module 218 rearranges the plurality of images inorder in step T33 based on the representative color of each image. Anyof various ordering methods may be used for the rearrangement here, suchas the methods (A1-1) to (A1-3) shown below, for example.

(A1-1) The order of hue component (H component) value, ranging from 0 to359 degrees(A1-2) The order of hue component (H component) value, ranging from ahue at the top of a rainbow to a hue at the bottom of the rainbow(A1-3) The order of hue component (H component) value, ranging from ahue at the bottom of a rainbow to a hue at the top of the rainbow

The relationships between the hue component H and the six colors of therainbow are as shown below, for example.

Red: 340 ≦ H < 15 (its standard H value = 0) Orange: 16 ≦ H < 45 (itsstandard H value = 25) Yellow: 46 ≦ H < 65 (its standard H value = 60)Green: 66 ≦ H < 165 (its standard H value = 120) Blue: 166 ≦ H < 265(its standard H value = 210) Violet: 266 ≦ H < 339 (its standard H value= 300)

Because the images are arranged to ensure smooth changes in hue when theimages are rearranged in the order of color, an image order that feelsnatural to the user can be provided. For example, where the albumcomprises numerous photographs of flowers as shown in FIG. 3, becausethese images become arranged in order of hue, arrangement order feelsnatural.

In step T34, the image order determining module 218 classifies themultiple rearranged images into multiple groups. The grouping methodused here may be any of various methods, such as the methods (A2-1) and(A2-2) described below, for example.

(A2-1) Grouping based on equal division of the entire hue value range(A2-2) Grouping based on seven hue value ranges corresponding to theseven rainbow color components

FIG. 5 is an explanatory drawing showing the grouping of the pluralityof images selected as material for an album into two groups based on thehue component H of the representative color. When grouping is carriedout in order of the representative hue value H, images having similarcolors can be grouped in the same group.

When grouping is completed, the processing proceeds from step S2 to stepS3 (FIG. 2), which will be described later. Incidentally, the abovedescribed step T34 may be omitted, and all of the plurality of imagesmay be grouped in a single group. Similarly, the steps T44 and T54described below may also be omitted.

In the first two steps T41 and T42 which are to be executed when the ‘inorder of brightness’ image ordering rule is used, the imagecharacteristic value acquiring module 216 detects or calculates arepresentative brightness value of each selected image. In thisembodiment, average brightness value of the image is used as therepresentative brightness value. When detection of the representativebrightness value is completed for all images, the image orderdetermining module 218 rearranges the plurality of images in order instep T43 based on the representative brightness value of each image. Anyof various ordering methods may be used for the rearrangement here, suchas the methods (B1-1) to (B1-4) shown below, for example.

(B1-1) The order in which average brightness value ranges from ‘Bright(High)’ to ‘Dark (Low)’(B1-2) The order in which average brightness value ranges from ‘Dark’ to‘Bright’(B1-3) The order in which average brightness value ranges from ‘Bright’to ‘Dark ’, and thereafter changes to ‘Bright’(B1-4) The order in which average brightness value ranges from ‘Dark’ to‘Bright’, and thereafter changes to ‘Dark’

In the method (B1-3), the plurality of images are alternately allocatedto two groups starting with the darkest image, for example, and theorder of arrangement for the images in each group is then establishedaccording to brightness. The same procedure may be used in the method(B1-4).

Here as well, as in the ‘in order of color’ method, because the imagesare rearranged to ensure smooth changes in brightness, an image orderthat feels natural to the user can be provided.

In step T44, the image order determining module 218 classifies therearranged images into multiple groups. The grouping method used heremay be any of various methods, such as the methods (B2-1) and (B2-2)described below, for example.

(B2-1) Grouping into N groups by dividing the range between the maximumaverage brightness value and the minimum average brightness value into Nequal increments(B2-2) Grouping into N groups by dividing average brightness value rangesuch that each group has the same number of images

In the first two steps T51 and T52 which is to be executed when the ‘inorder of photo-taking time’ image ordering rule is used, the imagecharacteristic value acquiring module 216 obtains the photo-taking timefrom the image file for each selected image. The photo-taking time canbe obtained from the photo-taking parameter information stored in theimage file or from the time at which the image file was created. In stepT53, the image order determining module 218 rearranges the plurality ofimages in order based on the photo-taking time for each image. Any ofvarious ordering methods may be used for the rearrangement, here, suchas the methods (C1-1) and (C1-2) shown below, for example.

(C1-1) In ascending order according to the time at which the image wascaptured, starting with the earliest image(C1-2) In descending order according to the time at which the image wascaptured, starting with the latest image

In step T54, the image order determining module 218 classifies themultiple rearranged images into multiple groups. The grouping methodused here may be any of various methods, such as the methods (C2-1)through (C2-5) described below, for example.

(C2-1) Grouping based on date of photo-taking(C2-2) Grouping based on date of photo-taking plus a.m./p.m. difference(C2-3) Grouping based on year of photo-taking(C2-4) Grouping based on year and month of photo-taking(C2-5) Grouping based on whether or not interval between photo-takingsessions falls within a prescribed interval

Because the order of arrangement of a plurality of images is determinedin accordance with an image characteristic value in step S2 as describedabove, a plurality of images can be arranged in a sequence that feelsnatural to the user.

The image rearrangement method used in step T33, T43 or T53, as well asthe grouping method used in step T34, T44 or T54, may be a fixed methodestablished in advance, or one of multiple method options that can beselected in advance by the user from the user interface screen.

When the image order and groupings are determined as described above,the page allocation module 220 allocates the images to each album pagein step S3 (FIG. 2).

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the detailed sequence of operationsexecuted in step S3. The number of groups N determined in steps T34, T44or T54 in FIG. 4, as well as the predetermined per-page maximum numberof images MAX, are obtained in step T61. The per-page maximum number ofimages MAX may be a fixed value, but it is preferred that it comprise aconstituent element of the user interface screen such that it can bespecified by the user.

In step T62, the group ID is set to ‘1’. The group ID is an identifierused to identify each group. The group having the ID set here is calledthe ‘processing target group’.

In step T63, the number of images GN belonging to the processing targetgroup is obtained. In the example shown in FIG. 5 described above, sevenimages belong to the first group, and five images belong to the secondgroup.

In step T64, the number of pages PN needed in order to display allimages in the processing target group is calculated using the equation(1) below.

PN=(GN/MAX)+R  (1)

The variable R on the right-hand side in above equation is ‘0’ if theremainder from the quotient GN/MAX is zero, and is ‘1’ if the remainderis a number other than zero.

In step T65, the number of images GN in the processing target group isdivided by the required number of pages PN. If GN is evenly divisible byPN, i.e., if the remainder of (GN/PN) is zero, the per-page number ofimages IN is set to (GN/PN) for all pages in step T66. On the otherhand, if GN is not evenly divisible by PN, the per-page number of imagesIN is set provisionally as the value of the quotient (GN/PN). The numberof images IN is then incremented up by one only for the number of pagesequivalent to such remainder in step T68. It is preferred that the pagessubject to this image incrementing begin from the first page of theprocessing target group. For example, if the remainder of the division(GN/PN), i.e., the number of left-over images, is ‘2’, the number ofimages IN on the first and second pages of the processing target groupis increased to a number that is higher than the number of images on theother pages by one.

Adjustment of the per-page number of images IN carried out in step T68can be executed according to a different method. For example, theleft-over images can be distributed only to odd-numbered pages or toeven-numbered pages. It is preferred that such a method be employed onlywhere the number of left-over images does not exceed one-half of thevalue of the necessary number of pages PN. This ensures that the numberof group images distributed to each page can be kept more or lessconsistent.

Once the per-page number of images in the processing target group isdetermined in this fashion, the process returns to step T63 via stepsT69 and T70, and the processing of steps T63-T68 is repeated for thenext group.

FIGS. 7A-7E show the per-page number of images determined according tothe process shown in FIG. 6. As can be understood from these examples,the differences between the various numbers of images allocated to eachpage do not exceed 1. Therefore, variations in the per-page number ofimages can be minimized.

The processing shown in FIG. 6 is not limited to the image groupprocessed as shown in FIG. 4, and in general, page allocation processingmay be carried out for any group of a plurality of images for which anorder of arrangement has been determined based on some sort of imageordering rule. Furthermore, page allocation processing need not becarried out based on a maximum number of images to be placed on eachpage, and a different method may be employed. For example, a method maybe used in which a minimum number of images to be placed on each page isset and the per-page number of images is set so as to satisfy thisminimum number. Alternatively, both a minimum number and a maximumnumber of images per page may be set, and the per-page number of imagesmay be determined so as to fall within this range for each page.

When allocation of images to each page is completed, album creatingmodule 222 creates album image data representing album images in step S4(FIG. 2). FIG. 8 shows an example of album images in which a pluralityof images shown in FIG. 5 comprise material for album images. The firstgroup includes seven images, while the second group includes fiveimages. This example is one in which the maximum per-page number ofimages MAX is set to four in the page allocation process shown in FIG.6. According to the table of FIG. 7C, four images are allocated to thefirst page of the group containing seven images and three images areallocated to the second page of such group. Three images are allocatedto the first page of the group containing five images, while two imagesare allocated to the second page of such group. The first and secondgroups in FIG. 8 are shown based on this allocation method.

In the example of FIG. 8, the same page template is used for a givengroup. Here, a ‘page template’ is a template that has multiple imageframes (image placement areas). In FIG. 8, a common template having fourimage frames is provided to each page of the first group, while a commontemplate having three image frames is provided to each page of thesecond group. However, because the number of images actually allocatedto the second page of the first group and the second page of the secondgroup (the fourth page of album) is smaller than the number of allocatedimage frames, a blank frame BF that contains no image is included.However, the image frame decoration may be erased for a blank frame BF.Furthermore, even for pages in the same group, different templates maybe used in accordance with the number of images allocated to each page.

The electronic album created in this fashion may be printed by theprinter 300 in response to a user instruction. It may also be registeredon a server over a network and published over the network.

In this embodiment, because the images are arranged in accordance with auser-selected image order, the images can be placed in a naturalarrangement according to the preferences of the user. Furthermore,because the images are automatically allocated based on the imagearrangement order determined in this fashion and on the maximum numberof images to be placed on each page of album, album can be easilycreated through a simple user instruction.

B. Variations:

B1. Variation 1:

In above embodiment, average hue value of image pixels is used as therepresentative color for purposes of the ‘in order of color’ imageordering rule, but various other values may be used as therepresentative color. For example, the colors expressed by averagevalues Rave, Gave and Bave of the RGB components of the image pixels maybe used as the representative colors. In another example, each image maybe divided into multiple blocks, average hue value of each block may besought, the blocks may be grouped according to hue value, and averagehue value for the block group that includes the largest number of blocksmay be used as the representative hue value for the image. As can beunderstood from this example, any characteristic value that representsan image can be used as the representative color of the image.

B2. Variation 2:

In above embodiment, color (or hue), brightness value and photo-takingtime are used as image characteristic values for purposes of the imageordering rule, but various other values may alternatively be used asimage characteristic values. For example, the result of frequencyanalysis of the image (frequency characteristic value) may be used asthe image characteristic value.

B3. Variation 3:

Although a method and apparatus for creating an electronic album aredescribed in the above embodiment, the image arrangement orderdetermination and page allocation processes carried out according tothis invention need not be performed only for the purpose of creating anelectronic album, and may be put to some other use instead.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustrationand example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spiritand scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms ofappended claims.

1. A method for creating an electronic album including a plurality ofimages with the aid of a computer, the method comprising: (a) selectingan image ordering rule from among a plurality of image ordering rulesused to determine an order of arrangement of the plurality of imagesbased on different types of image characteristic values; (b) acquiringfor each of the plurality of images the image characteristic value usedin the selected image ordering rule; (c) determining the order ofarrangement of the plurality of images in accordance with the selectedimage ordering rule and the image characteristic values for theplurality of images; (d) determining the number of images to be placedon each page of the electronic album; and (e) creating, in accordancewith the order of arrangement of the plurality of images and the numberof images on each of the pages, an electronic album in which theplurality of images are arranged in order across multiple pages.
 2. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein the types of image characteristicvalues include a value obtained by analyzing pixel values of each image.3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the types of imagecharacteristic values include a value obtained from attributeinformation created when each image was captured.
 4. A method accordingclaim 1, wherein the step (c) includes classifying the plurality ofimages into multiple groups in accordance with the image characteristicvalues for the plurality of images arranged in sequence, and the step(d) includes determining the number of images to be placed on each pagesuch that images from different groups are not allocated to the samepage.
 5. An apparatus for creating an electronic album including aplurality of images, the apparatus comprising: a rule selecting moduleconfigured to assist selection of an image ordering rule from among aplurality of image ordering rules used to determine an order ofarrangement of the plurality of images based on different types of imagecharacteristic values an image characteristic value acquiring moduleconfigured to acquire for each of the plurality of images the imagecharacteristic value used in the selected image ordering rule; an imageorder determining module configured to determine the order ofarrangement of the plurality of images in accordance with the selectedimage ordering rule and the image characteristic values for theplurality of images; a page allocation module configured to determinethe number of images to be placed on each page of the electronic album;and an album creating module configured to create, in accordance withthe order of arrangement of the plurality of images and the number ofimages on each of the pages, an electronic album in which the pluralityof images are arranged in order across multiple pages.
 6. A computerprogram product for creating an electronic album including a pluralityof images, comprising: a computer readable medium; and a computerprogram stored on the computer readable medium, the computer programincluding: a first program for causing a computer to assist selection ofan image ordering rule from among a plurality of image ordering rulesused to determine an order of arrangement of the plurality of imagesbased on different types of image characteristic values; a secondprogram for causing the computer to acquire for each of the plurality ofimages the image characteristic value used in the selected imageordering rule; a third program for causing the computer to determine theorder of arrangement of the plurality of images in accordance with theselected image ordering rule and the image characteristic values for theplurality of images; a fourth program for causing the computer todetermine the number of images to be placed on each page of theelectronic album; and a fifth program for causing the computer tocreate, in accordance with the order of arrangement of the plurality ofimages and the number of images on each of the pages, an electronicalbum in which the plurality of images are arranged in order acrossmultiple pages.
 7. A method for creating an electronic album including aplurality of images with the aid of a computer, the method comprising:(i) determining an order of arrangement of the plurality of images inaccordance with a designated image ordering rule, the image orderingrule using an image characteristic value acquired for each image; (ii)determining the number of images to be placed on each page of theelectronic album; and (iii) creating, in accordance with the order ofarrangement of the plurality of images and the number of images on eachof the pages, an electronic album in which the plurality of images arearranged in order across multiple pages, wherein the step (i) includesclassifying the plurality of images into multiple groups in accordancewith the image characteristic values for the plurality of imagesarranged in sequence, and the step (ii) includes determining the numberof images to be placed on each page such that images from differentgroups are not allocated to the same page.
 8. An apparatus for creatingan electronic album including a plurality of images, the apparatuscomprising: an image order determining module configured to determine anorder of arrangement of the plurality of images in accordance with adesignated image ordering rule, the image ordering rule using an imagecharacteristic value acquired for each image; a page allocation moduleconfigured to determine the number of images to be placed on each pageof the electronic album; and an album creating module configured tocreate, in accordance with the order of arrangement of the plurality ofimages and the number of images on each of the pages, an electronicalbum in which the plurality of images are arranged in order acrossmultiple pages, wherein the image order determining module classifiesthe plurality of images into multiple groups in accordance with theimage characteristic values for the plurality of images arranged insequence, and the page allocation module determines the number of imagesto be placed on each page such that images from different groups are notallocated to the same page.
 9. A computer program product for creatingan electronic album including a plurality of images, comprising: acomputer readable medium; and a computer program stored on the computerreadable medium, the computer program including: a first program forcausing a computer to determine an order of arrangement of the pluralityof images in accordance with a designated image ordering rule, the imageordering rule using an image characteristic value acquired for eachimage; a second program for causing the computer to determine the numberof images to be placed on each page of the electronic album; and a thirdprogram for causing the computer to create, in accordance with the orderof arrangement of the plurality of images and the number of images oneach of the pages, an electronic album in which the plurality of imagesare arranged in order across multiple pages, wherein the first programincludes a program for causing the computer to classify the plurality ofimages into multiple groups in accordance with the image characteristicvalues for the plurality of images arranged in sequence, and the secondprogram includes a program for causing the computer to determine thenumber of images to be placed on each page such that images fromdifferent groups are not allocated to the same page.